CHAP 29

A virus. A virus and a claim. How Ironic.

These two things ran through Nos-4-a2's head as he lay on the floor of his cell in the brig of Warp Darkmatter's ship.

After the fembot had dropped that bombshell she'd forced a pair of electronic handcuffs onto his wrists, even against his violent struggling, then left him where he was. Left him to think about the things she'd told him. This was bad. This was real bad.

I am her... no. That's not going to happen, he vowed to himself.

But how was he going to prevent it? The thing was a virus. It wasn't like how he could control machines.. This was beyond his abilities. Like it would make any difference soon. He was being taken to planet Z which meant Evil Emperor Zurg would have him terminated.

Lovely..

Not if he could help it. Oh no. This wasn't going to happen. The rules were going to change right here and right now. No revenge for either of them and no slaves for Shadowstar. If she wanted to control anything she could do it with her little black and gold toy. He wouldn't be her servant.

But... how was he going to prevent it? How was he going to do anything in this state? His head was still pounding and his energy felt depleted. Plus, with his hand secured tightly behind his back he couldn't even attempt an escape. The cards were against him.

No.. he couldn't do anything now. He didn't even want to be awake right now. It was just....

His eyes dimmed then flickered out as he fell into stasis.

A few hours later: Star Command

Six LGMs carried Sari out of 42 on a stretcher. The techno organic girl had not woken once since she was taken out of Nos-4-a2's lair on Trade World. She just lay on the slab like a doll, unmoving and watched the LGM's closely. Worried that they might drop her.

"Don't worry, Prowl," Buzz said, coming up behind him. "They'll take good care of her."

"I am sure they will," the cyber ninja replied, folding his arms and watching the LGMs take her into the space station. A part of him wanted to follow them but the little aliens had discouraged it. His constant hovering would only make things harder. "But that is not what I am worried about."

"Really? What is wrong?"

The Autobot turned to the human Space Ranger, troubled. "I don't think it was wise to tell them that Sari is a robot," he stated.

"It couldn't be helped," Buzz told him, attempting to put his mind at ease. "If we hadn',t everyone would have wondered how Nos-4-a2 was able to control her. He can only make machines his slaves, not organics unless he turns them into wirewolves."

The cyber ninja cocked his head, unfamiliar with the term. "Wirewolves?"

"Trust me, Prowl," Buzz said, waving it off. "You don't want to know. It's way too complicated to explain"

"I see." Just then Prowl stumbled. "Whoa!" Lightyear exclaimed, grabbing his arm to steady him. "Easy now."

"Sparks," the Autobot cursed angrily. "I waited too long."

"Too long for what?"

"I think I need a recharge," Prowl siad looking at him. "No.. not think. I do. That damage Sari gave me drained a lot of my energy." he made a helpless face. "I'm going to need you to help me to the recharge bay, I can't do myself."

"Sure." Lightyear led him into the space station. "It's understandable that you're low on power. All that you've been through the past two days would drain any machine."

Prowl noticed XR wheeling past. He seemed to be in perfect working order, as if he didn't need to recharge himself. The robot seemed to be purposely ignoring him though, but he didn't really blame him. He deserved it."'I am sorry," he apologized.

"For what?"

"For everything. For accusing you all of not caring and not listening when you told me it was unwise to do things by myself." he shook his head, disgusted at himself for being so selfish. "I should have listened. None of this would have happened if I'd just let you all go to the hotel."

"But if you and XR hadn't gone looking for her, you never would have found her," Buzz pointed out. "and we'd all still be searching for the girl right now."

He was right. They would still be looking for them if he had gone back to the hotel with the space rangers and they probably never would have found them. Something told Prowl that if they had not gone looking, Shadowstar and her comrades would have discovered his location first and taken them both away instead of just Nos-4-a2. Nobody would have been any wiser to their whereabouts if that had happened. "I just wish we had found them before Nos-4-a2 turned Sari into his servant."

"Well there's nothing we can do about it now except try to save her," Buzz replied. "and we have to go after them anyway."

"Yes, because they're all wanted criminals.."

"and because you and Sari can't exactly go back to your own time and place without that fembot."

Yes that was true. It would be cruel to leave Shadowstar in this dimension, even though part of him really wanted to. If he did Buzz and the rest of star command would have too much trouble. She didn't die easily. Prowl sighed. "Right now I just want to think about one thing at a time," he stated. "I'll worry about going home after everything has been settled."

Shadowstar paced in the small open area behind the pilot and co-pilot seats in the control room in Warp's ship. It was no more than five feet by five feet across so it was a little complicated. but she had to make due. The fembot walked with her hands behind her back, muttering words to herself. Nimrod, who was seated in the co-pilot chair, was peaking over the top, watching her intently.

"It was only to stop him from escaping," she mumbled in Cybertronian so the others couldn't understand her. To them it sounded like computer noises. "Only for that. Why? " she rested her hands on her cheeks and ran her fingers down them, creating grooves in the metal. "Argh. Why must they always taste so good? " she shook her head. "Don't think about it. Just don't think about it."

"Um..."

Shadowstar, alerted by the voice, turned her head. Her red optics came to rest on Nimrod who was still watching her. "What do you want, bug?" she demanded.

"Are you all right?" he asked her.

"Of course I am," she snapped, her optics flashing green then red. "What would make you think otherwise?"

"Well you're talking to yourself and-"

"It's none of your business!" she snapped. "Who gave you permission to eavesdrop on me anyway?"

"I'm sorry." Nimrod quickly let go ot the back of the chair and turned around.

She stared at the chair for a moment, feeling bad for yelling at him. What did it matter if he was listening in. He didn't understand what she was saying anyway. Maybe she should apologize. No, that wasn't like her to do. He'd get over it. His feelings weren't her problem.

Why am i worried about him anyway? I have my own problems with that stupid vampire. Shadowstar continued pacing. This better not become more than it is. Why should it? Just because he tastes almost as good as Prowl doesn't mean I should suddenly want him ahave just for food or fun or anything. Even though the idea sounded good.

If Nos-4-a2 died she'd only have the satisfaction of him paying for a little bit and then it would fade. But keeping him alive and making him suffer would prolong it. Yes, I did want him to suffer anyway, she reminded herself, stopping her pacing and touching her lips with her fingers. Some of Nos-4-a2's mech fluid still stained the tips. She licked it off. I would have too if he hadn't been over-energized. That just took away any pleasure from torturing him. But he's in his right mind now so.....

The fembot looked toward the door that led to the brig. It was very tempting. I could make him pay now but.. I cannot do that. I don't feel like looking at his stupid face right now. Stupid? Was it really stupid? Strange maybe. Different maybe, but not stupid.

Okay I will admit he is kind of cute..

She sighed and walked over to her seat. She looked down at Nimrod then picked him up and sat down in it, letting him sit in her lap. She stared out at the black void of space, thoughtfully. Maybe I can convince Zurg to let him live longer. she thought. Tell him that making the robot suffer until he begged to be killed would be a lot more fun and satisfying. I'm sure he'll go for that. she smirked. He seems to have a thing for torturing people, though his methods are different than mine, more... childish....

Oh yes, blaring annoying music wasn't exactly mature or grown up. It seemed like something only a kid would do. But it had been effective.

I doubt that kind of thing would work on Nos-4-a2, she thought. But if he doesn't use that he might use something just as childish. I'm going to have to talk to him about it, convince him to let me come up with better ways to make him miserable.

"Hey."

Shadowstar looked at him.

"Is there something wrong?" he questioned.

"No, why?"

"Well for one thing you seemed to have this conflicted look on your face since you came back from doing whatever you were doing with Nos-4-a2 and then you started pacing and talking to yourself." he pointed. "and then right now you got that look again."

"What look?"

"You know," he said, pointing. 'That crazy look you get when you're thinking about makimg somebody miserable."

I have a look for that? 'How would you know what kind of look I get when I think about such things?" she demanded.

"I've studied your face," he replied. "You get this little smile that's not exactly a smile and your optics dim and change color." he grinned and folded his arms, leaning back in the chair. "So who are you thinking of punishing now, my dear?"

She frowned. "That isn't your business." she looked out the windshield and pointed. "There's our destination. Let's get this over with already." The sooner I get this taken care of the better.

"Sure thing, doll," he said, changing course. "So what do you intend to do after this is all over? You going to hang around and do more errands for Zurg or would you rather I drop you off on Trade World?"

Shadowstar said nothing. She honestly hadn't given it much thought. What would she do after this? You will find Prowl and make him pay for sending you back to the stockade, she reminded herself. What else? That will take awhile too. It's not like you're going to kill him right away. That's not you. You like to prolong suffering. You'll be entertained for awhile and then...

and then she had no idea what to do, though she did intend on going back to her own dimension, whenever that would happen.

"No," she said, leaning back in her seat and absently running her hand over Nimrod's head. "I'll just do my own thing."

"Okay, finished, you are now completely recharged."

Prowl sat up on the recharge bed and removed the wires from his chest. He looked down at the trio of LGMs hovering around as he closed his chest compartment. "Thank you," he said.

"No problem," the one LGM replied, smiling at him.

Prowl swung his legs off the bed and stood. The Autobot headed toward the door. The little aliens ran to intercept him. "Whoa! Where do you think you're going?"

The Autobot lowered his head to stare down at them. "Where does it look like I'm going?" he asked tensely. "I am going to check on my friend."

The three aliens looked at each other nervously. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Why not?"

They wrung their hands. "Well it's kind of complicated."

Something was up. "How is it complicated?" the cyber ninja wanted to know. A horrible thought came to him. "What have you done to her?"

"Nothing," they insisted, waving their hands in front of his face. "We just don't think you should be checking in on her right now."

'That just made him want to more. Something was going on that he didn't know about or had agreed to. If they're doing something to her so help me I'll... he moved toward the door. "Move before I am forced to step on you."

The LGMs scurried out of the way, not wanting to wind up as pancakes. He walked past them and pushed the door open, stepping into the hall without a look back. The LGMs watched him go then glanced back and forth amoung each other. "He's not going to be happy," one said.

"Nope," the others agreed.

Prowl moved swiftly down the hall, ignoring everyone that tried to discourage him from checking on Sari. He wasn't going to stop until he reached the LGMs work room and found out what they were doing to Sari.

They had better not have decided to disect her even after I distinctly told them not to lay a finger on her, he thought.

He paused and looked around himself. He had no idea where the LGMs work room was or how to get there from where he was. "Excuse me," he called to a dark skinned space ranger walking down the hall with his pink haired female comrade.

"Yes?" the dark space ranger asked.

"Where can I find the LGM's lab?" he asked.

"Done that way," he replied, pointing. "Why do you wnrt to go there?"

"I have something I need to check on."

"Oh."

Prowl thanked the man and headed the way he'd indicated. A short time later he reached the room. The moment he stepped inside he stopped and stared in horror at what he saw.

Sari lay on a table, still unconscious. LGMs scurried around her working meticulously. That wasn't what bothered him though. What did was they had her chest open and were poking around inside it with strange looking instruments.

"What the hell is this?!" he roared, instantly losing his temper.

All the LGMs stopped in their work and looked back at him, dropping their tools onto the floor. They stared in wide eyed horror at the rage filled Autobot standing in the doorway. "Uh.. this isn't what it looks like," one began to explain tentatively.

"What did I say about opening her up?" he roared, stalking over to them, too upset to keep his temper in check. Once he'd reached them he glared down at the dozen LGMs surrounding the table, his body shaking in his attempt to keep his rage from forcing him to become violent. "I said not to do that! Don't you understand English?!"

"Well um..," one LGM said, nervously. "We didn't plan on it but we got permission and-"

"Permission?!" Prowl exploded. "Who gave you permission to open up my friend? I know I didn't!"

"I did." said a voice behind him.

Prowl spun around and faced the speaker. Commander Nebula stood in the doorway. "You?" the cyber ninja asked, shocked.

The commander nodded.

"Who gave you the right to tell them it was okay to open up my friend?" he demanded. He felt betrayed, violated, as if he was the one lying on the table and not Sari. "You had no right to let them do any such thing to her! Sari is not your machine and she is not even a citizen of this galaxy! You didn't create her and you have no authority over what happens to her!" he slammed his fist onto a computer tower, making the dozen LGMs jump in unison. "What in Primus name were you thinking?!"

The commander let him rant, not even reacting. He just stood like a stone, his arms crossed and his expression solid.

Prowl found his indifference appalling. He could not believe the man had betrayed his trust like that. How could he? How could he do such a thing without asking Prowl first to see if it was okay?! Who did he think he was?!

The Autobot looked at the LGMs. "Close her right now," he ordered.

"Don't do that," Nebula said.

The LGMs looked at one another, conflicted.

"You did not have any right to do this to her," Prowl said, looking back at the commander. "I don't even know why you thought I wouldn't find out about it or think it was okay." he pointed into the man's face. "Why didn't you run it by me first?" he looked at the LGMs. "I TOL YOU TO CLOSE HER!"

The LGM's starting to panic scurried to obey the order. At that moment they were more afraid of Prowl than Commander Nebula. His expression had murder written on it.

"Why didn't you tell me your little friend there was a robot as well?" Commander Nebula retorted.

For a second the Autobot said nothing. It was almost as if he couldn't answer that question. Why was he asking him such a thing anyway?

Finally he said. "Because I know how you feel about machines," he replied. "I know how you feel about me. I told her not to say anything because I did not want you treating her that way. Is that why you did not tell me about this? Because you figured you didn't have to inform a machine about the dissection of another machine?" his optics filled with hurt and he clenched his shaking fists at his sides. "I might be nothing more than a machine but I am a living machine and Sari has organic components inside her." he met the other man's eyes. Definite. "I am not.... I am not going to stand back and let you treat her that way because of how you feel about beings like myself."

"Prowl," Commander Nebula said, walking toward him. "That is not why I didn't tell you."

It wasn't? "Then why didn't you?"

"Because we didn't want to worry you," the man replied, standing right in front of him. "The LGMs tried to remove Nos control of her through the computer but they could not. They thought maybe opening her up would do what the computer couldn't-"

"No, that is not why," Prowl muttered, unable to believe such an excuse. 'They just wanted to see how she worked."

"Whether that's the case or not... neither option solved the problem." Commander Nebula replied. "I am sorry, but if you ever want her back we have to bring Nos-4-a2 here and force him to release his hold or she has to break his control herself. Where the control is.. it's too dangerous to remove it. She will die if we attempt it."

"Just like Mira said..." Prowl looked back at Sari's still form. "It's my fault it happened," he said.

"Don't blame yourself," Commander Nebula said. "You couldn't have done anything about it."

"No that is not true!" Prowl shouted, his anger fading away to sadness. "If I had not panicked when I tried to save her and flown away she'd still be herself and none of this would have happened." he rested his head in his hand. "I am a coward. I ran away. I never should have run."

Commander Nebula didn't know what to say to that. Prowl's problem was new to him, even though XR had gone through something similar a few years ago. But unlike him, this robot was taking it differently. No words would make him feel better, not any that the Commander could think of. So he used a different alterative. "You need to get over it," he said.

"What?"

"You heard me," Nebula poked his chest plate with a finger. "If you keep moping around like this you won't be of use to anyone, and that includes Sari. Do you think she'd want you feeling sorry for yourself?"

"No," he admitted.

"That's right, she would not," he said. "She'd want you to do the best you could and make things right. I know she wouldn't be happy if she saw you this way, moping about and playing the "what if" game. If you want to help her you need to get over your mistake and try to fix it."

"You're right," the cyber ninja agreed, glancing back at Sari. "Your absolutely right." What was I thinking? I shouldn't be acting like this. Sari would want me to find Nos-4-a2 and kick his butt.. he smirked. Those would be the exact words she would use too. "Okay." he looked back at Commander Nebula. "What can we do? Do you have any leads?"

Commander Nebula nodded. "Yes, we have," he said.

That was good. It brought him closer to saving Sari. "You know where they went?"

"Affirmative. They're heading to Planet Z."